Can I ask a gross pregnancy question?

[Carrie12345]

I've had serious heartburn with all of my pregnancies, and each time it gets worse and starts earlier.

 

This time, it's been so bad that I've been on Zantac 2x/day, and still pop a Tums now and then. But now it's REALLY bad. Last night, I woke up vomiting in my mouth - twice!

I tried propping myself up, but I can only manage to doze for about 20 minutes before I give up and lie flat.

 

Any advice, or at least commiseration? The non-emergency line for my mws isn't open yet.

[Quad Shot Academy]

I can commiserate! :grouphug: I was still throwing up every day at 15 weeks. The perinatologist told me that when she sees nausea in the second trimester she knows it is from acid. I don't feel any acid, but I started taking Prilosec and the vomiting completely stopped. If I miss doses I get sick again. I have never had acid reflux before except at the end of my fourth pregnancy. The acid would hit my throat and I would instantly get sick. So I can't believe it started so early this time! You might try switching to Prilosec!

[NanceXToo]

I'm sorry, the heartburn was horrible for me with my last pregnancy, too. I just kept popping Tums like candy.

[mom2agang]

I have bad heart burn too. I use about a 1tps of baking soda in 1/4 cup of water. Tums just don't work anymore. This works the best.

[*Jen*]

I can commiserate! Yuck! That heartburn / reflux is the worst. I'm at the very end of my 4th pregnancy and this time it is worse than all my others. I will be so happy in 3 weeks when the little one gets here and I don't have to deal with the reflux anymore.

 

The only good thing is that my husband also has bad reflux so I am just using what works for him to help me. We have our bed raised. The head of our bed is on 4 inch blocks. It helps a ton! I can still lay flat but don't get the reflux. Propping yourself up with pillows is actually worse for reflux than laying flat because it puts more pressure on your stomach.

 

This pregnancy the OTC meds just didn't work. I ended up having to use Protonix (which is a higher version of Nexium) and prescription strength pepcid to keep it under control.

 

I also have cut out most caffeine (I do eat a little piece of chocolate everyday - I have 3 kids 5 and under so chocolate is a necessity in my house!) and we have cut out certain spicy foods that affect both my husband and I. It does take some experimenting to figure out what makes the reflux bad, but once you get it controlled it isn't as hard to deal with!

[mo2]

The best thing that I did was to eat tiny meals throughout the day instead of real *meals*. Snacks, really. Bland, boring snacks all day long.

 

At least it's only temporary!

[LaissezFaire]

Are you taking the Zantac 150? I had to take it every single day. I had reflux so badly while pregnant that I would literally cry. It felt like a fireball in my throat (big hot lump) and I did the barfing in my mouth thing too. I had to take the zantac religiously and I also avoided acidic things and oddly dairy. Dairy did a number on me. Also carbonated drinks can be bad.

[juelle]

There's obviously not much room for your stomach, so consciously relaxing your middle helps. I wouldn't take anything but calcium, but I found that it helps, too. But mostly the relaxing. Breathe deeply (as much as possible) and slowly. Easier said than done, I know!:grouphug:

 

Prop up on pillows, and lay on your left side. That helps your stomach drain easier. Peppermint tea can help relax smooth muscles (stomach and gut).

[HayesW]

Papaya enzyme saved me! It helps to digest the food in your tummy so that it moves along.

[Susan in TN]

Papaya enzyme saved me! It helps to digest the food in your tummy so that it moves along.

 

Yes, I'd make sure I was getting a good amount of digestive enzymes - saurkraut, yogurt, enzyme tablets, etc. You might want to try eliminating dairy for a bit and see if that helps. Try some coconut yogurt?

 

One thing that helped me for a while was to put a squeeze of fresh lemon in my drinking water all day long.

 

My reflux was much worse when I slept on my right side. Sleeping on my left kept baby and everything from pressing against my gall bladder (I think that's what it was.)

[KidsHappen]

You need to raise the head of your bed slightly. You can do this by setting the legs on some bricks or blocks of wood or something of the sort. Also lying on your right side relieves some of the pressure on your stomach.

[happykate]

I feel your pain...literally! I am so, so sorry for you! In fact, this exact thing happened to me last night overnight. I had forgotten to take my medicine yesterday. I have done this exact thing with every pregnancy and I'm on #5. The good news is that (at least for me) it has completely disappeared after delivery. I use Zantac at first, but at a certain point that just doesn't cut it anymore and my dr. gives me a prescription for Protonix. I tell people every time that it has changed my life...and I am serious!!! I sincerely hope you find some relief. I know it is miserable!

[mcconnellboys]

I actually had my sphincter stuck open during my second pregnancy. I could only eat plain baked potatoes, plain white rice and drink vanilla Ensure. Perhaps if you try some ultra bland foods for a while your problems will calm down....?

[Veritaserum]

Papaya enzyme saved me! It helps to digest the food in your tummy so that it moves along.

 

That was the only thing that worked for me. It tasted good, too. :)

[Carrie12345]

I want to thank everyone for all of the advice and empathy! I was going to wait until I heard back from one of my mws before responding, but, get this- I never got a call back! And I called twice (am and late afternoon)!

 

8 years with this practice, and I've never had a call go unanswered. :001_huh:

 

Anyway, a lot of the tips are ones I've tried without luck, but there are a few others I'm going to give a shot.

 

Last night, I did my best to sleep in dh's recliner (the fact that there's no A/C in our bedroom played a little part in that!) and managed to get through the night with no heartburn, no vomit, and even the carpal tunnel pain was minimal. On the downside, I don't sleep well when I'm not flat, so it was a restless (though painless) night.

 

I'm going to try to get dh to raise the bed before he gets sent off to hurricane duty and see how that works out.

 

Thanks again!